Sinn Féin’s Daithí Doolan elected chair of new policing forum in Dublin South Central
Dublin city councillor Daithí Doolan has been elected chairperson of Dublin South Central’s new community safety forum, and pledged to “make our communities as safe as possible for everyone.”
The Sinn Féin councillor will lead the area’s inaugural Local Safety Community Partnership (LCSP), which replaces the old Joint Policing Committee (JPC) structure.
Mr Doolan will lead one of five such structures in the Dublin City Council area.
In a statement issued after his election, Mr Doolan said: “Unfortunately, people no longer feel safe in Dublin. We need to change that.”
"I am committed to working with everyone, Gardaí, City Council, youth services, local residents and community groups to make community safety a priority,” he said.
Mr Doolan said it was important to recognise that the causes and consequences of crime “do not happen in a vacuum.”
"Cuts to services have had a hugely negative impact in our communities. Youth services, health services and addiction services are underfunded and overstretched. This has an immediate effect and must not be allowed to continue,” he said.
The Department of Justice said the new model “replaces and builds upon” the good work of JPCs, and bring together “a broader range of relevant stakeholders” than in the past.
However, it has come under criticism for deprioritising the role of councillors compared with the old structure, and introducing tighter restrictions on media access.
All local councillors could attend under the JPC model, but this number is limited to seven councillors for each ward under the new system, out of a maximum of 30 places on each LCSP.
The other roles will be occupied by bodies like the HSE, child protection agency Tusla. Resident, community and business groups will also be brought in as equal partners, alongside elected representatives and gardaí.
Labour councillor Dermot Lacey previously told the Irish Independent: “I don’t mean to be arrogant, but elected representatives are not equal to public service bodies. You’re elected to hold public service bodies to account.”
Department of Justice guidelines for the partnerships also make media attendance discretionary on a case-by-case basis, decided by the chair of the group.
They also recommend that in the first year of the new structure three of the six scheduled meetings should be held in private without media attendance, with only one meeting open to members of the public.
Regulations formally establishing 36 LCSPs, at least one in every local authority, came into effect at the end of June last year.